Dr. Karina Doorley:

When we think about how we might want to increase employment, we want to think about reducing barriers that people face - people who want to work but cannot because of whatever barriers they have in their life. Typically that relates to childcare or eldercare. If you want to increase labour force participation and reduce labour shortages, you really need to address the root of the cause. It is not about forcing people to go out and work but rather reducing the barriers that exist so that people who actually want to go to work can do so. Childcare subsidies are key in that area but also support with eldercare and other caring duties that people may have. We spoke about the national childcare scheme earlier in the session. Expansion of the national childcare scheme and possibly bringing informal child carers into that net so that there are subsidies available for families who use all types of childcare, would be important. In terms of elder care, the provision of service in the home so that people who are caring for elderly relatives or disabled relatives are able to go to work in the knowledge that their relative is being cared for, would be another policy option.